How to Keep Your Summer Business Flourishing all Year

For seasonal industry businesses, getting the word out about a new business can be challenging, but creating and retaining a steady stream of work for the rest of the year can feel impossible. Our friends in landscaping, air conditioning repair, roofing, and similar services all face the summer rush dilemma. For a few blissful months, new jobs and leads flood in and then one day the weather turns and you are staring at the phone waiting for it to ring. Luckily, there are some tactics to help your brand stick in the minds of your clients long past when the flowers are blooming.

1. Cultivate Your Social Media Presence

Nowadays, a successful business needs a social media presence. The best time to grow your audience for the “off season” is while you’re busy. Run promotions and follow incentives to encourage people to interact with your pages. An easy way to do this is to offer a small percentage off your client’s first service if they follow you on their favorite platform. Popular social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SnapChat, are all great options, and each platform appeals to slightly different demographics. Carefully select a few and stay active to keep your audience once they have clicked follow!

2. Seed Leads with Business Cards

You heard me right! Offer to purchase business cards for non-competing, home-related businesses—grocery delivery services, painters, or handymen are all good options. The catch? You’ll buy their cards as long as you can print your contact information on the back of them. Customers will get an automatic referral each time they pick up a business card.

3. Grow Networking Group Connections

Join the local Chamber of Commerce or BNI chapter, attend meetings, and participate in events. Not only will you build a network of other entrepreneurs, you’ll also widen your net of connections in the community—and they’re all potential clients.

4. Disperse Yard Signs like Daisies

Give the neighbors something to talk about! Keep the design simple making sure your logo pops and the message is on point. Then watch the referrals roll in. The trick here is timing. Ask the client if you can swing by again in the spring and leave another sign displayed. This allows you to capture the immediate referral and remind the neighbors who did that work last year right before the busy season starts again.

5.Stake Your Ground with Geo-Fencing

Do you know of a neighborhood, expo or even sporting event where your target clientele will be physically present? Place a geo fenced digital ad! This cost affordable alternative to traditional advertising will deliver impressions straight to the exact audience you are seeking. No more wasted advertising dollars! Capture those individuals now and retarget that list in the spring when they are once again thinking about summer projects.

6. Plant Your Message by Investing in Traditional Advertising

Set aside some of your hard earned cash for some well-timed ads. Don’t make the mistake of “dipping your toe in the water.” Far too often folks try to run too little for a long time instead of doubling down and saturating the market in bursts. Consult an expert and buy timed ads that support your company growth and help spread your message.

7. Give Your Off-Season Services Roots

You are already in front of the client and they are already going to pay you for the excellent work you’ve done. Now is the perfect time to schedule maintenance—mark the calendar for Christmas light hanging or any other off season services at a slightly discounted price. Put them on the schedule in July to be extra jolly December 1st!

8. Branch Out and Alert the Media

Contact local media and ask if they report on new or expanding businesses. If so, supply them with information and samples of your work, and be sure to talk up your talents and qualifications!

Promoting your seasonal business can be a challenge, but getting creative will help you reach people now and retain more for the spring. If you want help organizing your marketing efforts, aJuxt Media Group offers custom marketing plans. Click here to contact us.